1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for restricting the use of the mobile terminal.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, a mobile communication system allows a user to wirelessly page or communicate with another party. The communication system includes, for example, a MSC (Mobile Switching Center) that controls at least one base station (BS) for communicating with a mobile terminal. Currently, data and multimedia communication, in addition to voice communication can be transmitted between mobile terminals.
To prevent someone from illegally using another person's terminal, mobile terminals generally require a password for using the terminal. However, every time the mobile terminal is turned on, the user has to re-enter the password. Further, it is possible someone may illegally obtain or hack the password and then illegally use the mobile terminal.
Another method for restricting the use of a mobile terminal is to require a user authentication card, such as a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module), a USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module), a UIM (User Identity Module) or an RUIM (Removable User Identity Module), etc. In this method, the terminal only operates when a combination of a password inputted by a user and information stored in the user authentication card is authenticated. Thus, even if the mobile terminal is lost and the password is leaked, someone arbitrarily else cannot use the mobile terminal.
Also, when a user authentication card of a mobile terminal is changed, the user is automatically requested to input a password, so that use of mobile terminal is restricted according to the inputted password. This method effectively strengthens security for the password and simplifies an input procedure of the password. This method, however, has shortcomings that whenever the mobile terminal is booted, the password needs to be re-entered, and a code for combining the inputted password and the information stored in the user authentication card is additionally required.
Another method is to allow a base station to determine during a registration process whether the terminal can be activated. This method is advantageous because the user does not have to continually enter a password. However, this method is disadvantageous because the base station restricts only functions related to a call connection and cannot restrict access to supplementary functions such as a phone book, a memo, or games.